Culture of War- VietnamHow DID the United States change THROUGHOUT THE WAR?

1955-1975

Values and Beliefs

Before: Most Americans supported the war that was happening in Vietnam. They didn't think much of it. A small percentage of collage students started "teaching sessions" as a way to support why they didn't support the war.

During: The war changed the attitudes and point of views of the Americans. They became more unsure, skeptical and disbelieving towards the government the public establishment.

After: After the war, Americans didn't give the military enough credit for many years. American leaders also became more cautious of getting involved in other countries' problems.

Tactics

The United States used a lot of helpful weapons such as a B52 bomber. Soldiers were used as "bait" in order to protect the American military. The U.S. military used the strategy of Search and Destroy, however it had it's flaws. For example, they searched the homes in Vietnam which made them easily visible and able to ambush. Vietnam's military gained more power as a result of the United States being unorganized with their plans.

Homefront

The war caused a lot of controversy and protests during the war. Some people decided to flee America in order to avoid being drafted to fight in the war. President Kennedy was also assassinated and President Lyndon Johnson took his place. Violence also occurred due to racial discrimination. The war caused more violence, protests, riots and new government leaderships in America.

Music

The troops shaped the kind of music that people were listening to at the time. Even though the troops and Americans back home were listening to the same music, they had different meanings to them. Therefore, the troops were able to relate to the music they were listening to which helped them throughout the war.

Propaganda

The United States used things such as a painting to illustrate the war going on in Vietnam. They also used media such as television in order to inform Americans at home. Their goal was to persuade the Americans at home that the war was justified and necessary.

Found on https://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/clio/katharine/final/vietnamprop.html

Protests

At the beginning of the war, most Americans supported the war, but there was still a small percentage that did not. Protesting during the war started at collage campuses in which the students held "teaching sessions" in order to get their opinion of the war across without being violent or discouraging towards others. The anti-war movement soon started after the draft became larger. The movement got a lot of public attention.

Media

The television became the number one source for news for Americans during the war. It gradually became more familiar with the public as time went on. Journalists and reporters became able to record videos and take more photos throughout the war. The photos and videos that were published influenced the views Americans had on the war.

Economics

The war impacted the United States' economy immensely. It costed the U.S. billions of dollars. It also impacted their trading internationally. The prices of goods and services had to increase in order to make up for the difference of the cost of the war.

Exports and Imports to and from Vietnam

Government/ Foreign Policy

The war caused the government's policies to change drastically. For example, the Congress decided to take the military draft out and replace it with an all-volunteer military. Also, the voting age decreased to being able to vote at age 18.

President Kennedy

President Johnson

The Draft

The draft ended on January 27, 1973. The United States' military changed into an all-volunteer force (AVF). It was easier for them to change the draft into an AVF, because it was more affordable, more engaging and it created a powerful military man.

Family Roles

The people remaining in the soldiers' families went on with their life and continued to protest as the war went on. The women that weren't drafted in the war stayed home and had to take care of the children. The men who weren't involved in the war were ones who were going to college or had graduated from college. The United States needed some people to stay back in order to continue building America.

Reintegration into Society

The American soldiers of the Vietnam War did not receive the best "Welcome Home" even though they had just risked their lives in one of the most dangerous wars. The public was upset because of racism and the government policies at the time. They also saw them as a disgrace and acted as if they did not care about the veterans. Some of the veterans suffered from physical injures and even post traumatic stress disorder. When the soldiers returned home, the environment was uncomfortable, for no one had said anything about the war. After a couple of years, the public had a change of heart and came to the realization that the soldiers were just doing what they had to do to protect the United States.

Purpose

The United States decided to enter the Vietnam war, because they thought it would prevent communism from spreading into the southern part of Vietnam. This included the Domino strategy that was meant to stop the spread of communism throughout the entire war.

Race Equality

The Vietnam war was the first war to have African American soldiers that weren't in serrated units in the war. President Johnson changed the standards of the drafts so that African American men could help fight in the war that didn't have the best kind of education. The Vietnam war was going on at the same time that the Civil Rights Movement was. Tension increased between the soldiers as the war went on, and the soldiers began going against each other, even though they were both fighting to protect America. The government found out, and threaten their career if they did not start getting along.